1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a method for sanitizing/sterilizing a container and/or enclosure and, more particularly, to a method for sanitizing and/or sterilizing a container and/or enclosure via, for example, controlled exposure to high-intensity, pulsed electromagnetic radiation, including predetermined wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation.
2. Background Art
Containers, such as bottles, cans, cartons, etcetera and associated enclosures, such as caps, lids, covers, tabs, etcetera for use in association with the food and beverage industries have been known in the art for more than a century. Methods for sanitizing and/or sterilizing such containers/enclosures are likewise well known and have evolved over several decades.
For example, one conventional method for sanitizing and/or sterilizing a container prior to filling with a food or beverage product is to wash the container with an aqueous solution containing surfactants, anti-bacterial agents, anti-microbial agents, and/or anti-septic agents—just to name a few. Typically a container that has been exposed to such harsh chemicals, during a wash cycle, is subsequently rinsed one or more times in an attempt to remove any residual chemicals that were introduced into the container during a wash and/or rinse cycle.
While the above-identified conventional method for sanitizing and/or sterilizing a container is effective from a cleaning perspective, utilizing such a method is problematic for a plurality of reasons. By way of example, customer requirements regarding residual contamination from the wash cycle place extraordinary pressure upon filler device manufacturers to generate filler devices and associated operational standards which completely eliminate any wash cycle residual contamination. Essentially customers are requiring that, immediately prior to filling, the container is “neat” or free from even a single droplet of residual contamination—including water. To be sure, complying with such industry demands, whether initiated by a customer or by local, state and/or federal regulations has placed a premium on efficiently adapting to many pre-filling requirements. Obviously, the requirement of providing a “neat” or “nearly neat” container can be incredibly difficult with certain container configurations which have geometric shapes that enhance entrapment of residual fluids. By way of example, many bottles have inner peripheral geometries with curves and/or angles which facilitate retention of residual contamination—especially if the contaminant is water which has relatively “sticky” or relatively high adhesive properties.
The above-identified conventional sanitizing/sterilizing method is also very time consuming, creates environmental problems with regard to chemical waste disposal, and is expensive, thereby rendering it highly undesirable for a plurality of reasons.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for sanitizing and/or sterilizing a container and/or enclosure via, for example, controlled exposure to high-intensity, pulsed electromagnetic radiation, including predetermined wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation to remedy and/or minimize the aforementioned problems and/or complications associated with conventional sanitizing and/or sterilizing methods for containers in the food and/or beverage industry.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings.